Veterans Disability Lawyers

A veteran disability lawyer will guide you through the entire claim process. From collecting medical and service proof to filing an appeal against a denied claim.

Select a veteran disability attorney who is specialized in these cases and is well-versed with the VA system. This will ensure that your case receives the attention it deserves.

Proving Service Connection

The VA will only provide disability benefits if it's proved that your condition is linked to your military experience. This is referred to as nexus. You can use different types of evidence to prove this connection. These include medical records, independent health exams (IME) or a nexus letter from current healthcare providers (especially in the cases of mental health issues). There are instances that veterans suffer from medically-determined disabilities, but they cannot be considered service connected due to incomplete or omitted records. These cases require the help of experienced New York disability attorneys who are able to present an entire case and submit evidence backed by unbiased experts.

It is easier to establish a direct service connection if injuries or illnesses occurred while you served in the military. If you have been injured during your military service and now suffer from headaches or concussions it is much easier to prove a direct service connection.

However, it is more difficult to get connected if you suffer from an existing medical condition that worsened while in the military. In order to prove that your military service worsened or aggravated an existing illness it is necessary to provide expert medical evidence that is at the level of "clear and undeniable" proof.

Appealing a Denial

The VA will review your case after you have submitted your application and provided medical evidence. It usually makes a decision which either approves or denies benefits. If the decision isn't favorable, the veteran has one year to file a complaint. A veterans disability lawyer can assist the claimant through the three possible review options which include a supplemental claim, higher-level review or a direct appeal to the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

When deciding on a New York veterans disability lawyer Be sure to think about whether they can understand your military experience and military's culture. This can make it simpler for you and lessen the need to explain your situations and experiences in layman's.

You should also find a firm who will remain on your case throughout the entire appeals process of several years. Beware of companies that will only help you with the initial stages of your case, and then vanish.

An experienced New York veterans disability attorney will assist you with every stage of your claim including the appeals process. They can assist you in submitting more medical evidence, file an official hearing, and also represent you in any Board meetings to ensure that your case is handled in a fair and fair manner. They can also assist you to get your benefits, like monetary compensation aid and attendance, educational benefits or unemployability benefits.

How to get a higher rating

There might come a time when your disability becomes more serious or your symptoms become more complicated or broad. It makes sense in this situation to ask for a higher rating. A veterans disability law firm disability lawyer can assist with this process, and they can help you dig up evidence to justify your request.

It's not common for the VA to make mistakes that result in an lower disability rating than you deserve. It's worth contacting an expert to examine your records for any errors. They may have missed an injury or omitted any issue that could have been added to another disability to receive an improved rating.

You are still able to submit a higher-level claim or review if you have been assessed for more than a calendar year. This includes a review of your entire file which may result in changes to your effective date, as well as the creation of a new rating that is more precise to the feelings you have.

It's also advisable to file a supplemental claim or higher-level review if you're entitled to a disability rate of 100 percent or greater. A disability attorney can assist you in putting together an argument that supports this type of rating, which is reserved only for serious disabilities. For example an illness that is mental could be a reason to get an 100% disability rating due to the fact that it causes significant disruption to your work or frequent periods of hospitalization, which don't normally trigger such rating for cardiovascular disease or other medical issue.

Getting help with the Appeals Process

Despite what some people may think that denial of an appeal for disability by the VA is not the end of a person's chances to collect benefits. In fact, a former servicemember has one year from the date that their local veterans hospital or office mails them an unfavorable determination to appeal.

An experienced veterans disability lawyer can help a veteran determine which of the three current appeals options is the best option for their situation. They can also assist an individual vet put all the evidence required to convince a higher level reviewer that the previous decision was incorrect. They can give a veteran a more formal hearing in front of a Veterans Law judge.

The most appealing aspect of having an New York veteran disability attorney handle your appeal is that they can give you the attention and care that your claim deserves. They also have a wealth of experience handling VA disability claims, and they understand the rules and procedures inside and out. Some attorneys are veterans, and therefore know the challenges that disabled veterans face. This can result in a unique kind of empathy that can help improve the outcome of an issue involving veterans' disability.

The Sullivan & Kehoe team of experienced lawyers can evaluate your VA disability claims for no cost to determine if we can assist you. Contact us today for your free evaluation.